We’re in April – the 4th month of the year, and it is time for the 4th newsletter of the year. Thus far we have published one where we looked back at what happened in 2007, one where we looked at the romances of the older royal couples out there, and last month we covered places that are named for royals.

This month, we’re looking at castles. LadyK has collected information on several of the world’s castles – and in the Quick Links section we have collected threads here at TRF that cover the topic, so you can find them easily, and in turn, discuss them.

We’re also very happy to announce that Lady Jennifer have joined the Newsletter team.

TRF is an internet community growing at a rapid speed. Unfortunately, the size of the moderating team hasn't been quite up to speed with the rest of the development. In the past month we've tried to rectify this. We're still fine-tuning some details, but we're also almost there.

We're pleased to announce that Empress and Marengo have joined the TRF administrative team. Both of them are hard-working, creative and we know from watching them in their respective forums, great team-players.

As mentioned above, we've also taken on a lot of new moderators, to help out in various forums. Polly, Iceflower, Stefan, TheTruth, kimebear, grim_lady, and HRH Kerry. Welcome to them all. We're very happy to have them onboard.

Unfortunately, as a team is adapting and changing, that also means that we've lost some members. Long-time admin Ennyllorac will be stepping into an Administrator Emeritus position, because of real life time constraints. She will therefore step down from day-to-day moderating, and assorted admin duties. However, she will still be around and a valued member of the team.

Real life is also the reason for ysbel and azile leaving the team. They will be missed.

The Royal Book Club

Hello everyone. We are in the process of setting up a book club, and we would like to get it up and running next month. More information can be found here. You may also vote for the books in the poll, in order to determine which books will be read first. We have created a new forum for the book club, and you can find it here.

We will most likely have the book broken into sections of a few chapters each week, with a discussion in a thread in the new Royal Book Club forum, and maybe also via live chat, each week. People who would like to join in the discussion if they've already read the book can also participate in the thread.

We will have some rules and guidelines and and updated schedule within the next month. Please take a moment to have a look at the poll and thread here and let us know if you have any comments or suggestions. We hope this will be a great addition to TRF and look forward to participation from as many members as possible.

BruneiPalace: Istana Narul ImanLocation: south of Bandar Seri Begawan, overlooking the Brunei River

Istana Narul Iman is the official residence of the sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of Brunei’s government. However, it is better known for being the largest royal residence in the world, indeed, it is the largest private residence in the world. It has 2,152,782 square feet of floor space with 1788 rooms spread over 50 acres (amid 300 acres of landscaping). In comparison, the second largest royal residence is the Vatican, which has only 1400 rooms over 13 acres. Buckingham Palace, the world’s largest working palace, is only 828,818 square feet. The palace was built in 1984 for over one billion dollars (USD). The palace is a mix of traditional and modern regional architecture, equipped with all modern conviences and topped with two gold-covered onion domes. The palace contains offices of the sultan and the government of Brunei, residences for the sultan and his family, and even a mosque. Features of the palace include an air-conditioned stable for the sultan’s 200 horses, a garage for his massive car collection, and a formal dining hall that can seat up to 4000 guests.

Istana Narul Iman is only open to the public on Hari Raya Idulfitri.
For more information or to discuss, please see the TRF thread on the Palace

Great Britain
Palace: Buckingham Palace
Location: London, England
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Buckingham Palace has served as the official home of all the British monarchs since Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) were so dedicated to England and to Buckingham Palace that they remained there throughout World War II even though it was bombed seven times! The Sunday Graphic stated then: “When this war is over the common danger which King George and Queen Elizabeth have shared with their people will be a cherished memory and an inspiration through the years”. Queen Elizabeth II had to deal with her own palace intrusion: Michael Fagan was able to break into the palace twice. On his second attempt, he even entered the Queen’s bedroom while she was sleeping.

Buckingham Palace has also been the site of many great occasions. Numerous state dinners, informal dinner parties and garden parties are held at Buckingham Palace each year. The weddings of the Queen and Prince Philip, Prince of Wales and Princess Diana, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Philips, the Duke and Duchess of York, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex were all celebrated at Buckingham palace.
Buckingham Palace is open to the public during August and September. The changing of the guard occurs in front of the palace every day.

Monaco
Palace: The Prince’s Palace of Monaco
Location: Monaco-Ville, Monaco
The Prince’s Palace of Monaco has been the residence of the Grimaldi dynasty for more than seven hundred years. The first palace was built in that location at the end of the twelfth century. After the accension of the Grimaldi family, the palace became a symbol of the family. Successive generations built, renovated and added on to the palace. The palace’s architecture is like a timeline of architectural periods, from the medival to the mid-century modern. The earliest portions of the palace are medieval in style with heavy stone and smaller windows, fortifying the palace against outside aggressors. Other parts of the façade are Renaissance. The Main Courtyard is primarily baroque in style, while many of the state rooms are done in the rococo style. Princess Grace redecorated a few rooms in the palace in the mid-century modern style. The palace has a formal garden, a large pool, garage and two sports courts. The Prince’s Palace also has spectacular views of surrounding area and the ocean.

The palace is open to the public during the summer months. There is a changing of the guard every day at noon.

Luxembourg
Palace: The Grand Ducal Palace
Location: Luxembourg City
The Grand Ducal Palace looks like a hidden fairytale. The high pointed towers framing a wrought iron balcony with tall windows look out over the old town area of Luxembourg City. The first palace was built in 1244 to serve as a town hall. After that palace had burned down in the mid sixteenth century, the current palace was built by Adam Roberti. Later, the palace served as an office and residence for government representatives under French, later Dutch, rule. The palace was officially and finally reserved for the Grand Duke’s use in 1890 under Grand Duke Adolph. Grand Duke Adolph also commissioned a major renovation and addition to the palace. Belgian architect Gédéon Bordiau and state architect M. Bordiau added the new wing. During World War II, the Grand Ducal Palace was occupied by Nazi forces and suffered severe damages, including the theft of several rare furnishings. The palace was restored after the war as the Grand Ducal family’s official residence. In 1964 the Grand Ducal palace hosted the abdications of Grand Duchess Charlotte and subsequent throne accession of Grand Duke Jean, and in 2000, the abdication of Grand Duke Jean and throne accession of Grand Duke Henri.
Thread on the Luxembourg Palaces and royal residences: http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ouses-900.html

Sweden
Palace: Drottningholm Palace
Location: outside of Stockholm
Drottningholm, in Swedish, literally means ‘the queen’s island.’ This name is suitable for the palace, not only as the grounds are indeed an island in Lake Mälaren, but because of the royal women who shaped much of the palace’s history. The original palace was bought in the 1500s for Queen Katarina Jagellonika, but it was destroyed by fire in 1661. The next year, Queen Hedvig Eleonora hired architect Nikodemus Tessin the Elder to build her a new palace, one suitable for her status as Regent of Sweden. Tessin complied, building the majestic baroque palace that we know today. One of the most beautiful and impressive spaces preserved from that era was Hedvig Eleonora’s own bedchamber.

The next queen to shape Drottningholm’s history was Queen Lovisa Ulrika who was given Drottningholm as a wedding present. Lovisa Ulrika was a lover of art and architecture, and that love is visible in the changes and additions she made to Drottningholm. Indeed, this period of the palace’s history is even called a “golden age of the arts”. Lovisa Ulrika had many of the public rooms redecorated in the rococo style, one of the most famous being Lovisa Ulrika’s own library. Lovisa Ulrika also oversaw an expansion of the vast park at Drottningholm and the construction of some of its most notable outbuildings, the chapel, the theatre, and the Chinese Pavilion. All three are considered architectural landmarks in their own rights.

Drottningholm is still home to the queen today- along with the king and their children. Since 1981, King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Sonja and their family have lived at Drottningholm. The family lives in the south wing of the palace in large apartments. The rest of the palace and park is open to the public (except when being used for state functions). Drottningholm Palace and the Chinese Pavilion are listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The palace is considered to be one of the best-retained palaces, and a symbol of palaces of the era.

Denmark
Palace: Amalienborg
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Amalienborg Palace is the winter residence of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Amalienborg actually consists of four palaces around a central plaza. The four palaces are Christian VII’s palace, Christian VIII’s palace, Christian IX’s palace, and Frederik VII’s palace. The palaces were built between 1750 and 1760 and are late baroque/early rococo in architecture, but the interiors and uses vary. Christian VII’s palace is not currently in use by the royal family, but in the 1970s, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim attended a small school in the palace. Today Christian VII’s palace is often open to the public. Christian VIII’s palace houses the offices of the crown princely couple and their staffs. It is also the home of the Royal House of Glücksborg museum. Christian IX’s palace is the residence of the Queen and Prince Consort, and houses the queen’s office. It is also used for state events, such as gala dinners. On official occasions, the royal family will appear on the balcony of Christian IX’s palace to wave to the crowds below in the plaza. Frederik VIII’s palace was restored in 1934 for the future King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid. The couple lived there until their deaths in 1972 and 2000, respectively. The palace is now undergoing renovations to become the future residence Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and their family.

Spain
Palace: The Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real de Madrid)
Location: Madrid

The Royal Palace is the official residence of His Majesty King Juan Carlos I. However, Juan Carlos does not live at the Royal Palace, instead choosing to live instead at Zarzuela Palace outside of Madrid. However, the palace is used for state functions such as state dinners.

The earliest palace was a sixteenth century Alcázar for the Kings of Castile. After it was destroyed by fire, King Philip V ordered a new palace be built in that same location. Noted architects Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Vattista Sacchetti designed the new baroque palace using stone, not wood, to prevent future fires. The only wood in their design was in the doors and furniture. The interior spaces have been decorated and redecorated to suit each subsequent monarch. Each room is furnished lavishly, many using expensive fabrics, inlayed marbles and gilding. The palace has many priceless pieces including artworks by Velázquez, Goya, and de Flandes; tapestries from the Royal Factory of Tapestries, rare musical instruments and King Juan Carlos’s personal collection of rare coins. The Royal Armory has weapons and armor from the thirteenth century onwards and is considered one of the most important arms collections in the world.

The Royal Palace is the third largest royal palace in the world at 1,453,122 square feet. The palace is open to the public except when it is being used by the king for state functions.